Life In Nine Months
by melody's muse
Summary: Buffy and Angel create something quite extraordinary together. Told from both Buffy and Angel's POV. Pointless fluff. Enjoy! Complete
1. The Honeymoon

**5/30/15: I've been nominated for some fanfic awards! Please vote for me! See my profile for details. :)**

Disclaimer: I don't own the show. I just borrow the characters for a little while, then I return them after they've had a happy ending. :)

Spoilers: My previous fanfic, "Worth Fighting For". (You don't necessarily have to read WFF to enjoy this, but you might understand this better if you do.)

A/N: So I was going to wait a while before I posted this, but it's finished, so why keep you all waiting? :) This is something I mostly wrote for fun, just a little "what if" piece I had been itching to write. I didn't necessarily want to do a major sequel to "Worth Fighting For" (yet), but I thought I'd at least give you a peek into Buffy and Angel's life. And who knows, maybe I'll write more for this series after all, if my muse is up for it, that is.

One more thing…I had planned for this to be a one-shot, but it turned out to be way too long for a one-shot, so I've broken it up into eleven parts. Thus, some chapters will be shorter than others. And also, this story is completely finished. Expect daily updates!

As always…enjoy!

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><p><em><strong>The Honeymoon<strong>_

It's been four months since the Hellmouth was permanently closed, and four months since Angel's Shanshu.

Things have been relativity quiet in the vampire world since then. That's a very a good thing, because I've had other things on my mind lately, all of which involve Angel and I in a bed in various stages of undress, or preferably, nothing at all.

I'm still trying to get used to the idea of _human_ Angel, although he's not exactly normal. He's sort of like me. He still has his strength. He still has healing ability. He even says that his sense of smell and sound remain heightened. It was surprising the PTB would restore his humanity and give him abilities, but Angel refused their gift otherwise. I guess the Powers really wanted to thank him. Well, he _did_ help save the world, or Sunnydale at least.

It's half past nine, and we're still in bed. We've been at this beach house somewhere in Mexico for three days now and have only gone to the ocean once. (Moonlight strolls don't really count.) Neither of us have wanted to leave the bedroom, but it's understandable. It is, after all, our honeymoon.

My head rests on his chest, and my hand lies over his heart. I love feeling his heartbeat. I never get tired of it. I can't get over how wonderful that little _thump, thump, thump _feels, knowing that he's alive. He's _human._

Feeling Angel's heartbeat makes me think of other things too…like life in general, and how very precious it is.

And short.

I miss my mother some days more than most, and it reminds me that one day, I'll be gone too. So will Angel, maybe even before me. But I don't like to think of those things, especially during times like this. I want to be happy and live my life to the fullest. Carpe Diem. _Seize the day._ Angel and I finally have the chance to be together and we should make the most of every moment. Only the Powers know how long that time will last.

I think of what our life will be like as a married couple. What will it be like five years from now? What about ten? I even wonder if we'll have a house full of children someday.

And because Angel is human, we actually could now.

I never gave much thought to having children before. In fact, there were times when I didn't think it would be such a good idea at all. When Giga pets were all the rage, I killed mine by sitting on it. And poor Goldy, my goldfish, didn't even last a week. If anyone had asked me four months ago if I was ready to have children, I would have responded with a resounding "no". I always thought that I'd want children when I was older, maybe thirty, but an unsettling thought crosses my mind.

What if I'm not around in ten years? What if Angel isn't around in ten years? Angel and I face death nearly every day. What if this time, this precious time Angel and I have, is the only time we'll ever have together?

Having Angel be human for a change has made me rethink everything. Before, I never gave much thought to Angel dying. When Angel was immortal, I kind of figured I'd be the first one to go. But now that Angel is human, we're on even playing fields.

We're not going to live forever.

"Angel?"

He doesn't respond. At first I think he's fallen asleep, worn out from our early morning lovemaking, but finally he looks down at me and smiles. "Yeah?"

"Let's make a baby." The words are out of my mouth before I even know what I'm saying. But suddenly, all I can think about is Angel and I having a child.

* * *

><p>I wasn't sure if I heard her right.<p>

I'll admit, the thought of Buffy and I having children someday has crossed my mind more than a few times since I returned to, as Buffy would say, the land of the living. But I had always wanted it to be her decision. Whenever the subject of children came up in the past, Buffy was always resistant, claiming she wasn't even fit to take care of a goldfish. I wasn't expecting this decision to come so soon.

She's smiling at me, waiting for my response, and I finally find my voice. "Buffy…are you sure?"

She sits up and pulls the sheet with her. "I know it's sudden."

I move to sit up with her, wrapping my arms around her. "You really want to have a baby?"

Buffy nods. "Yeah, I do. Don't you?"

I smile at her. "Of course. There's nothing that I'd want more than for us to have a family. But having a baby…Buffy, it's a big responsibility. Are you sure you're ready for that? What about finishing college? And more importantly, what about slaying? Having a baby now would be a lot on your plate right now, don't you think?"

Buffy hates it when I do this, when I play devil's advocate. We argue about it sometimes. She says because I'm older, considerably older, that I often try to "impart wisdom" to her. I don't think she's not smart. In fact, she's one of the most intelligent women I have ever known. But I have lived a long life, and I know that making decisions on impulse isn't always the best thing to do.

"I'm not in a hurry to finish college. I still don't know what I want to major in. It's not like I can major in slayage, you know? When the baby comes, I could take a year off, or maybe get Willow to show me how to take classes online. She's already taking one of those online courses and she loves it. And as far as slaying goes…well I'd only be taking a short break from it. I'm sure you and everyone could handle things. I've been away before."

"But, Buffy, having a baby, being a parent…it changes things. You work so hard at keeping everyone else safe and sometimes you don't think about yourself. But that baby is going to depend on you, Buffy. Completely. He or she will be counting on you to come home at night. I'm not saying this to change your mind. I really would like for us to have children someday. But I want to make sure you really want this now. That you're really ready, because there's no rush."

"I am ready. And there is a rush, Angel. Life is short. My mother died this year. And I've already died once and almost again this past summer. We don't know how much time we have here. What if a year from now, god forbid, one of us is gone? Angel, what if we never get this chance again?"

I look at Buffy, and I feel amazed. She is serious about this. I don't like to think of the possibility that we don't have much time, but Buffy is right. How much time do we have in this lifetime? One year? Ten years? Even fifty years doesn't seem like enough time, for it's less time than I've even lived as an immortal. I think of how I would feel if Buffy were to leave me, and I was left behind with nothing but our memories. What if Buffy is right? What if this is our only chance to have a family?

"You know what my mother said to me before she died?" Buffy asks me.

"No, what's that?"

"She told me that being my mother was the greatest thing she had ever done in her life. Angel, I want that for us. I want us to experience that together."

She's looking at me, smiling, with hope in her eyes. She trying hard to convince me, but she doesn't really need to. I want the same thing too.

"Well?" she asks, and I realize she's waiting for my answer.

"Let's make a baby," I say, and Buffy squeals and jumps into my arms, making me fall back onto the bed.

"Can we get started now?" she asks, laughter in her voice.

But I don't have time to answer because she's already kissing me.


	2. Month One

**_Month One_**

We haven't told anyone we're trying to have a baby. We'll tell them when there's news to tell. I think of how they'll all react when they find out. Willow will be excited, over the moon even, well, after she gets over the part where I've completely lost my mind that is. Xander will immediately go into protective mode, and I'll never get a moment's peace from him. And Giles, well, Giles I'm afraid will be in a panic, wondering how on earth I'm supposed to patrol if I'm pregnant.

I push thoughts of Giles aside. I don't want to be thinking of Giles when Angel and I are making love.

I can't help but wonder if this will be it. I wonder if this is going to be the time we finally conceive. Last month we didn't, and I was disappointed when instead of getting a positive pregnancy test, I got my period instead. But Angel just smiled and said, "Don't worry. It's going to happen. Maybe next month."

_Maybe next month. _

It's now next month, and a thought occurs to me. Maybe I'm already pregnant. I could be pregnant right now and not even know it! It's too soon to take a test, but maybe in another week or two, we'll know for sure, one way or the other.

Afterwards, I lay in Angel's arms, and I'm on the verge of sleep, completely spent. Angel pulls me closer and I feel his lips hovering over my neck, right over my scar. Then he whispers into my ear. "We're going to have a baby soon."

I smile. I think he's right.

* * *

><p>I'm standing at the bedroom window and watching the neighborhood come to life. Buffy wanted to move back home to Revello Drive. She complains my mansion isn't girl friendly, and I suppose she's right about that. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm human now. No longer do I need to live in the shadows, although I still do spend most of my time in the dark. Outside, it's a bright, sunny morning and everyone seems to be up and about, except for us of course. Buffy and I like to sleep late. Sometimes it takes us a few hours to even get dressed. We're not lazy. We work at night, so late mornings are acceptable.<p>

I look over at her and smile. She's asleep again, worn out from our early morning lovemaking no doubt. She sleeps with a smile on her face though, and I know she is happy. I always knew she would want this. I knew she would someday want a life out of the dark, one filled with love, with children. This is what I always wanted to give her: a sense of normalcy in her life that is anything but. I thought I could never give her those things, so I pushed her away. I never thought things would work out the way they did, and that I could actually share a life with her.

I walk back over to the bed and get under the covers again. I reach for Buffy and feel her body shift slightly, moving closer to me. She's still asleep, but somehow she knows I'm near. Her back is against me, and I place my hand around her waist and feel for her stomach. I imagine her belly swelling with our child. I feel like it's already growing inside of her. In my mind, I can see our child now, living proof that Buffy and I love each other.


	3. Month Two

_**Month Two**_

It's official. I'm pregnant. If the missed period and the stick turning pink weren't enough to convince me, than the morning sickness certainly was.

I'm lying on the floor of the bathroom, my cheek against the cold tile. I've been spending a lot of time in here lately, hugging the toilet, throwing up, nearly passing out. I've been in this bathroom so many times that I've now named the spider who lives in the corner. I call him Larry.

Although I'm excited about the baby, it's hard to be happy right now. I'm starting to wonder what I got myself into. I never understood women complaining about morning sickness. I never thought it was this bad. Somehow I thought I would be immune to all this, that being the Slayer would somehow magically take this icky feeling away. But as it turns out, I'm just like any other pregnant woman, throwing up and feeling queasy 24/7. Why do they call it "morning sickness" anyway?

* * *

><p>I feel so helpless. I try to do whatever I can to make her feel more comfortable. She's lying on the bathroom floor again. Minutes before, I held her hair back as she got sick for the second time this morning. She hasn't been able to hold down her breakfast all week.<p>

"Drink this," I say, holding the glass of water I had brought to her. She sits up slowly, takes a small sip, and swishes it around her mouth. After a few more sips, she sits the glass aside and looks up at me with tired eyes. She looks pale, and it breaks my heart to see her this way.

"Do you think you'll be sick again?"

She shakes her head no.

"Good. Come on." I pick her up from the floor and carry her to our bedroom, then lay her down on the bed and grab a blanket to wrap her up in. Buffy's been sleeping a lot lately. All of the books say that's completely normal, so I'm not too worried. I want her to rest anyway. She looks like she could use a nap.

"Stay with me," she asks, reaching out and taking hold of my arm.

I nod and get into the bed with her.

"Just hold me for a little while, okay?" she whispers, and I can tell she's going to fall asleep in just a few minutes.

I wrap my arm around her, her back against my chest, holding her close to me. And we sleep.


	4. Month Three

_**Month Three**_

I hate hospitals. I absolutely positively _hate _them. Anyone who knows me knows that. So when I learned that I could avoid the hospital all together and have a home birth instead, barring any unforeseen emergencies of course, I was all for it. I love the idea of giving birth in the comfort of my own home with all my family and friends around me. Besides, hospitals smell funny, like antiseptic and sick people, and the harsh florescent lights hurt Angel's light-sensitive eyes. And anyway, I spent enough time in the hospital last June. I'm not eager to go back anytime soon. It's just better this way all around.

Angel found a reputable midwife in the area and I was all too happy to hire her on. "They still have those?" I had asked, feeling quite certain I had heard Angel wrong when he first mentioned it.

"Yeah, they still have them," Angel had said, laughing at me.

When I think of a midwife, I think of _Little House on the Prairie. _They serve as backup in case Doc Baker can't make it in time. I was wrong, of course. And once I met the midwife, I couldn't imagine having this baby any other way.

Xander and Giles seemed a little wary when I told them I was giving birth at home.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Xander asked.

"And what if something were to go wrong?" Giles added.

But I told them to relax. If Angel wasn't worried, I wasn't worried. It was his idea in the first place. He said in his day back in Ireland, that's how it always was. They didn't have telephones to call the doctor, and no cars to drive to the emergency room. Did they even have hospitals back then? All women gave birth at home. A doctor couldn't always be around.

* * *

><p>Sometimes you just a get a good feeling about people, and when I met Sallie, I knew she was exactly what Buffy and I were looking for.<p>

Sallie has been a midwife for over thirty years and a nurse before that. She's sixty-seven years old, but you wouldn't know it by just looking at her. There's barely a wrinkle on her face, and she looks to be in very good health. The only thing that gives away her age is the gray hair, which she holds back with a large barrette. Buffy was impressed that she didn't have an "old lady hairstyle." I'm not quite sure what that is, but apparently she passed the test. Buffy had a good feeling about Sallie too.

Buffy thinks that I'm not worried, but the truth is, I'm terrified. It's not that I doubt Sallie's ability. She has years of experience and I'm sure she will do a fine job of bringing our child into the world, but I can't help but feel apprehensive. Honestly, I'd feel the same way even if she gave birth in the hospital. What if something goes wrong? I have to say I agree with Giles on that. People nowadays typically don't worry about pregnancy. They assume everything will go smoothly and true, most of the time, it does. Things have improved medical-wise since my day. But the truth of the matter is…complications still happen.

I just want Buffy and our baby to be healthy.


	5. Month Four

_**Month Four**_

Angel and I are celebrating tonight. That awful morning sickness has finally let up. Good riddance! I feel like it's been forever since I've had a really good meal and kept it down, so Angel is taking me out to dinner. Just a regular restaurant…no place fancy. We need to save our money. Babies are _extremely_ expensive. Who knew something so little could cost so much? And that something isn't even here yet! Daddy sent me a check last week, but it's still not enough to get everything we need. I hope the gang is planning on throwing me a baby shower sometime soon. We haven't even started decorating the nursery.

It's a bit chilly tonight, so pants are a must. I look through the closet and grab my favorite pair. I seem to be having trouble getting into the pants though, so I look down to see what the problem is. The zipper always catches on this pair, and it's a pain in the ass sometimes. But I soon realize that the zipper is not the problem at all. It's quite obvious what's wrong here:

MY PANTS DON'T FIT!

I give the pants a tug and try not to panic. I wore these pants just last week! They're my sexy red leather pants! I _have _to wear them! Surely I could still squeeze into them! I suck in my tummy just a little and try again, but to no avail. The pants aren't coming on.

I take off the pants and turn sideways, examining myself in the mirror. I can't say I didn't know this was going to happen; I just didn't realize it would happen so soon. As I look at my reflection, I see a little bump forming just below my bellybutton, which excites and embarrasses me at the same time. It's as if the bump grew overnight when I wasn't looking.

I am going to be as fat as a cow when this is over.

Or maybe a whale. Whales are bigger.

The thought horrifies me, and I sink down on the floor and start to cry.

* * *

><p>"Buffy! Are you ready to go?" I'm in the living room searching for my keys. I find them on the coffee table moments later.<p>

Buffy is still upstairs. I hope she's ready to go soon, because I'm starving. "Buffy!" I call out again.

When Buffy doesn't respond, I go upstairs to see if everything is alright. It doesn't usually take her this long to throw on some clothes.

The door to our bedroom is open, and inside, I see her sitting on the floor. She's not wearing any pants, which is odd, and then I realize she's crying. My mind races to all of the horrible possibilities, and I rush into the room and kneel down beside her. I'm worried something terrible has happened. Maybe she was changing her clothes and discovered some blood. Blood meant a miscarriage, right? Oh god no, she can't be miscarrying!

"Buffy, what's the matter?" I didn't mean for my question to come out so demanding, but I'm concerned. Not to mention scared out of my mind.

Buffy looks up at me and sniffles. "My favorite pants don't fit anymore!" she sobs and holds up the garment.

Oh. This is why she's upset. I take a deep, calming breath. I remind myself not to get annoyed, because this could have been so much worse. It's been like this all week around here. Buffy has been an emotional roller coaster. Happy one minute, sad the next. A Hallmark commercial made her cry the other day.

I try to be sensitive to her feelings. Although I feel like it's a silly thing to get upset about, I know she can't help the way she feels. I take the pants out of her hand and put them aside. "You'll be able to wear them again someday." I know these pants are important to her. She wears them all the time, and frankly, I enjoy them as well. They're the kind of pants that show off the curve of her backside perfectly and hug her hips just so.

"No I won't!" she cries.

"Sure you will. After the baby, you'll be able to wear all of your old clothes again."

"No I won't!" she says again, and I'm at a lost at what she's getting out. She must have sensed my confusion, because she looks up at me. "They won't be in style anymore!"

"Sure they will. Leather never goes out of style. And I enjoy them. You can wear them around me."

But this does nothing to comfort Buffy, and she begins to bawl again.

"Angel, you don't understand!"

"Then help me understand, Buffy."

"Even if they are still in style, or even if I want to wear them again, I won't be able to!"

This is really confusing me. "Why, Buffy?"

"Because! This isn't just about the pants, okay! It's about me! Do you really think I'm going to be able to squeeze into those pants again after I have this baby?"

Now we're getting to the heart of the matter. "Buffy, you _are_ going to wear these pants again, okay? I promise you."

Buffy picks up the pants again and runs her hand across the material. "Not if I'm fat."

I almost can't believe what I am hearing. This is not the Buffy I know. The Buffy I know has been taken over by a pod person. "Buffy, you're not going to be fat."

"It's already starting. Look!" Buffy lifts up her shirt, and for the first time, I notice a little bump. I can't believe how fast this has happened.

"Buffy, this is amazing." I smile and place my hand on the bump, knowing that inside, our child is growing.

My enthusiasm seems to have calmed Buffy down a little, but it's obvious the issue is still on her mind. "I'm going to be as big as a whale."

"I'd be worried if you weren't. That would mean our baby isn't growing."

"Well when you put it that way." Buffy wipes her eye and sniffles again.

"Buffy, I don't care how you look. Big or small, pants or no pants. I think you're beautiful no matter what, and I love you."

I see a smile on her face, and I know that what I'm saying is working. "What about afterwards? What if I can't lose the baby weight? I can't be a slayer if I'm fat. I'd never be able to outrun those vampires. Although I suppose I could always sit on them."

I must have laughed because she smiles at me. "Well now there's an idea."

"I'm serious."

"Buffy, you'll look amazing. And besides, even if you do gain a few pounds, which would be completely normal just so you know, I'm sure you'll burn it off in no time. I'll work out with you. You'll have to get back into training anyway at some point."

Buffy looks up at me expectantly. "And what if that isn't enough?"

I smile at her. "Then I'm sure we can find a few more calorie-burning activities to do. I believe sex is one of them."

This brings another smile to her face. "I like sex."

"I know you do. But you know what I want right now?"

"What?"

"Some food. I'm getting pretty hungry here."

"Yeah, me too."

I stand up and help Buffy to her feet. I realize she is still not dressed, and now that the pants are out, she'll need something else to wear.

"I don't have anything to wear."

"Let's take a look." I open her side of the closet and pull out a skirt. "You can wear this," I say, but she shakes her head no.

"It's too cold."

"Right." I put the skirt back on the rack. The only thing left are pants…lots of pants. And I'm afraid they're not going to fit either.

"I guess I need to go shopping for some clothes," she says. I never thought I'd hear her say that sentence with such a lack of enthusiasm in her voice.

"What were you wearing before?"

She picks up some pants lying on the bed. "Stretchy sweatpants."

"Wear those."

She gives me a look. "And go to a restaurant?"

Obviously the stretchy pants are out. I forget sometimes that Buffy likes to stay fashionable at all times. She's just like Cordelia in that way.

"Do you want to just order in tonight?" I suggest, because I can see now that Buffy isn't up for going out anymore.

Buffy smiles brightly. "Can we get a pizza?"

"Sure."

Buffy puts her pants back on, the ones that actually fit, and gives me a quick kiss before leaving the room. "I'll go order it now."

When she leaves the room, I pick up the red pants that Buffy loves so much. I place them back on the hanger and put them in the closet. Buffy doesn't know it yet, but I'm positive she will wear them again.


	6. Month Five

A/N: Before I get a bunch of comments correcting me, I should let you know that I wrote this chapter a very long time ago. And when I say a long time ago, I mean before I ever watched Season 7. (I only finished watching BtVS through Netflix last year, and yes, I've been working on this series for that long, lol) So I didn't know about Nikki Wood having a child when I wrote this. In my universe, this just never happened. I love Robin Wood…don't get me wrong! But if I decide to continue this series, the fact that Buffy is the only slayer to have a child may be of importance. I'll have to mull over this plot idea for a while and see if my muse can come up with something. :D

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><p><strong><em>Month Five <em>**

It's ten minutes after ten, and I'm in the living room, pacing. Angel is not home yet. I hear a noise outside on the porch and peek out the window, but it's just Mrs. Lee's cat from across the street.

I busy myself with housework: washing the dishes, taking out the trash, anything to distract me. But it's not working. I jump at every sound, running to the window to take another look. I want to be out there. No, I _need_ to be out there.

It's crazy. I know this. I think of all the times I renounced being a slayer, of all the times I ran away or I wished I was a "normal" girl. And now the one time I'm told to take it easy, to just sit down and relax…I can't.

Because I _need_ to be out there. It's hard to ignore my true nature. I am the Slayer.

But I have been grounded. I sit down on the couch with a sigh and lay my hand on my expanding belly. Angel has placed me on maternity leave…four months earlier than the rest of the pregnant population. Giles completely agrees with him. I'm outnumbered two to one.

I glance at the clock again. It's 10:35, and Angel is still not home. I need another distraction, so I pick up the baby names book on the coffee table. I immediately flip to the girl names to see if I can find one I like. I want to find a strong name. A name that means something.

We had the ultrasound yesterday, but the baby wasn't in a good position to tell its gender. It doesn't matter though. Angel and I already know it's a girl. We just know. Maybe that sounds strange, but I have a feeling. And plus I had a dream, which normally wouldn't mean anything. But I don't have your average run-of-the-mill dreams. It's a girl. Definitely.

I rest my hand on my stomach again and smile. I wonder what she'll be like. I picture a girl with amazing strength and courage, along with my fashion sense and her father's intelligence. I even wonder if my child could be a slayer someday. It's possible. Not that I'd wish that on her, but Giles says I'm the first slayer he's ever heard of that lived long enough to have a child. What kind of effect this could have on the baby, we don't really know. Maybe nothing at all. Or maybe, as Willow seems to think, she'll be a very special baby, complete with supernatural powers and abilities just like her parents. Maybe.

I look at the clock again and realize it's 11:06, and Angel should have been home by now. I throw the book down on the couch and walk over to the window again, hoping to see him coming up the walk. But it looks quiet outside. The neighbors across the street have finally turned their lights off and have gone to bed. And the cat that was on the porch earlier has long since gone home.

I start to worry now. Angel has been gone for nearly three hours when he said he'd be back in probably two. Surely it didn't take that long to patrol in Sunnydale, did it? A quick sweep through the local cemeteries and around town was usually all it took. True, sometimes it could take longer when a nest of vamps would come out of the woodwork. But Angel is usually never this late in coming home.

I pick up the phone and call Angel's cell. I pace nervously again as I listen to it ring and ring and ring. The automated voicemail clicks on and I hang up. There's no point in me leaving a message. He's had that phone for two years and he still hasn't figured out how to check the voicemail.

I try not to worry that Angel hasn't answered. If he's in the middle of fighting something dreadful, then that would be a very good reason for him to not answer the phone. He'll probably check out to see who was calling in a minute. Or maybe he never heard the phone ring at all? No, he would have heard it ring. His hearing is excellent.

I dial again a few minutes later, hoping I can get a hold of him this time, but just as before, there is no answer.

I wait a few more minutes, hoping he'll call me right back. But the phone remains silent, and I pick it up again and hit redial.

No answer.

I hang up the phone. I am officially starting to panic. There would be only one reason that he wouldn't answer his phone, and that would be if he were in some kind of trouble.

Alarm bells start to go off in my head, and I can no longer ignore my instincts. I have to be out there, and not just to save the world from the forces of darkness, but I need to find my Angel. He's in trouble.

I grab my jacket by the door, make sure there's a stake in the pocket, and rush out of the house.

* * *

><p>I'm tired, and I'm exhausted. Tonight was a busy night. Not only were the vampires out in full force tonight, but a group of Karakas demons were causing trouble out there.<p>

I open the door and step inside, putting my jacket on the hook. The lights are still on in the living room, so I know Buffy is still up.

"Buffy?"

She doesn't answer, so I check the couch, thinking she fell asleep. But the only thing on the couch is a book. No Buffy.

A strange feeling begins to settle over me, and it's then that I realize the house is eerily quiet. I call out for Buffy again, but there's still no response. I race through all the rooms downstairs, wondering if she's in the kitchen, wondering if she's in trouble. I check the back porch, thinking she just needed some air. But the door is locked, and there is no one outside.

And then I smile. I'm worrying myself for nothing. Buffy is probably upstairs in our bed fast asleep. She left the lights on downstairs for me, that's all. So I head up the stairs and go directly to the bedroom.

But the bed is still made. Hasn't been slept in at all since this morning.

The panic I had been feeling moments before returns, and I do a quick search of all the rooms upstairs. "Buffy!" But there is no answer. She is not here.

As I run back down the stairs, prepared to go back outside and start searching for her, the front door opens. I'm so relieved to see Buffy walk through it that for a moment, I'm not angry at all.

"Oh, thank god!" she says when she looks up and sees me. Her expression quickly turns from relief to rage. "Where the _hell_ have you been?"

"Where the hell have _I_ been? Where the hell have _you_ been?"

"Looking for you! I've been sitting around this house for three hours waiting for you! Why didn't you come home when you said you would?"

I move closer to Buffy and can't help but notice the light dusting on her jacket. I reach out and touch it with my fingertip, and I know then that it's not just dust, it's ash. "You were out there slaying."

Buffy shucks the jacket off and puts it on the hook. "It was only one vampire."

She says this so casually, and I almost can't believe what I'm about to say next. "You wanted to go out and slay, didn't you? After I asked you not to! You did it anyway? What, did you use my excuse of not coming home on time as a reason to go out?"

Buffy, who had been on her way up the stairs, turns around and walks back down. "I wasn't looking for a kill. It was one vampire who got in my way!"

"I told you I didn't want you slaying anymore!"

"What was I supposed to do, Angel? Just let him go? He jumped out in front of me! He would have killed me if I hadn't killed him first."

"Exactly, Buffy. You're five months pregnant and he could have _killed_ you! He would have killed the baby too!"

"How dare you imply that I am not taking care of our daughter."

"I never said you weren't taking care of her. I'm telling you that you need to be more careful! One reckless move—"

"Oh you're one to talk! What the hell were you thinking going out there by yourself? Look at you! Cuts all over your face, rips all in your good shirt! You couldn't have brought Wesley or someone for backup?"

"And get Wesley killed? It was dangerous out there tonight! I couldn't risk anyone else getting hurt."

"But you have no problem risking yourself!"

"Well that's the pot calling the kettle black, huh, Buffy? Look, next time you're worried about me, how about picking up the phone and giving Wesley or Giles a call? Don't go out there looking for me yourself."

"I _did_ pick up the phone—" Buffy suddenly gasps and holds on to her stomach. "Oh god."

I immediately rush over to her and for a moment, forget I'm angry. "Buffy, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

She looks up at me and oddly, she smiles. "I think I just felt the baby kick."

"You…what?" Before I can even comprehend that Buffy is not hurting, she grabs hold of my hand and places it on her stomach.

"Feel right here," she says.

"I don't feel anything."

"Just wait. Maybe she'll do it again."

Not two seconds later, I feel a small movement under my hand. "I felt it! I felt her kick!" I know I'm grinning like a fool, but this is so amazing. "Does it hurt?"

"No. No, not at all. It feels…a little weird."

"This is so amazing," I say to her, and it really is. I've never felt a baby kick inside a pregnant woman before. I can only imagine how it must feel for Buffy.

"That's our baby, Angel," she says softly.

I look at her and notice that misty look in her eyes as if she might start to cry. She's been getting that look a lot since she became pregnant.

"I'm sorry, were we fighting?" she asks.

I look down at Buffy and place my hands around her side. "I don't want to fight with you, Buffy."

"I don't want to fight either. Neither does she apparently." Buffy looks down at her stomach. I think the baby just kicked her again.

"Buffy, I'm sorry I was so upset at you. I was just scared out of my mind. I came home. You were gone. There was no note. I didn't know what to think."

"I was worried about you too, Angel. I heard you and Wesley talking this afternoon. I knew that whatever was out there was dangerous, and when you didn't come home…I tried calling you. Several times. But you never picked up your phone. I thought…I thought maybe you were in trouble."

"I'm sorry. I left it at the office. I didn't mean to worry you."

"You have to remember it next time, okay? What if I need you?"

"I'll keep it in my pocket from now on."

"Good."

"Buffy, what I said earlier? I didn't mean to imply that you weren't taking care of the baby. I just worry about you, the both of you. If something ever happened—"

Buffy places a finger on my lip. "I know. You're right. Something could have happened to me. Or to the baby. I can't just worry about myself anymore. I got lucky tonight. I won't go out there again. I promise."

"Thank you. I just want to keep you both safe."

"You have to promise me something too."

"Anything."

"That you won't go out there alone again either. Take Wesley for backup, okay? I know you can take care of yourself, but I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you either. I need you, Angel." Buffy looked down at her belly. "She needs you too."

"I promise." I place my hands on her face and lift her chin, and give her a kiss that nearly takes her breath away. When I finally pull away, I look into her eyes, and she's staring at me. She looks concerned.

"You've got a cut right there," she says, and she gently touches my cheek where I feel a tiny sting. "And there's a little dirt right here." She touches my temple, brushing the dirt off with her finger. "And your shoulder." She places her hand over the rip in my shirt. "We need to get some antiseptic on this wound."

"Yeah, I know, I'm a mess. I chased that last Karakas demon all the way to the docks. That's why it took me so long."

"It sounds like you could use a nice, hot, relaxing shower."

"That would be great right about now."

"Well why don't we go upstairs and get your shower ready. And then, maybe I'll join you," she adds with a wicked grin.

I raise an eyebrow at her. "You'll join me, huh?"

Buffy nods. "Well someone needs to take care of you. Come on. Let's go upstairs and I'll fix you up."

Buffy takes my hand and leads me upstairs. I have a feeling that tonight, she's going to do a lot more than just tend to my wounds.


	7. Month Six

**_Month Six_**

People say pregnant women always crave weird food combinations, like pickles with ice cream. Well, I don't know about that. We _have_ been buying a lot more ice cream lately, but I won't touch a pickle with a ten foot pole.

As far as pregnancy cravings though, they are real. And even more than ice cream, I have found out that there is one thing that I simply cannot get enough of: peanut butter.

_Peanut butter!_ It's the world's greatest food! And I have discovered that peanut butter goes good with _everything…_

I put it on bread and jelly. I put it on crackers. I put it on apples. I put it on celery. I even made a peanut butter and banana sandwich, which according to Angel, was one of Elvis's favorite things. Elvis was right…it's pretty damn good.

But best of all…peanut butter on my Oreos! Have the makers of Oreos caught on to this great idea yet? I don't think I can eat an Oreo cookie plain anymore. Why eat them with milk? Peanut butter is so much better, hands down.

I think I've been driving Angel a little crazy lately with my peanut butter obsession. Last night I was eating a jar of it in bed, and somehow I managed to get a little stain on Angel's pillow. When he asked me about it, I just shrugged my shoulders, surreptitiously pushed the empty container of Jif under the bed with my foot, and pretended to not know what he was talking about.

* * *

><p>Buffy is sitting in front of the television when I get home. I watch her for a moment as she sits lengthwise on the couch, one hand on her belly and the other on the remote. An empty bowl of ice cream and half a glass of milk sits on the end table beside her. She has been making herself comfortable I see.<p>

When she finally notices me standing there, her expression lights up. I lean forward to kiss her but Buffy seems to be more interested in the grocery bag I'm holding.

"Did you get it?" she asks, and she starts to search the bag in my other hand.

I know what she's looking for. "Yes, I got it."

"Where is it?"

I laugh at her impatience. "Just hold on a second." I sit the bags on the floor and rifle through them until I find the container of Jif, which Buffy grabs before I can even hand it to her.

"You're welcome," I say, but Buffy doesn't squeal in excitement like she normally does. In fact, she doesn't look very pleased at all, which is confusing since she's been reminding me to buy her peanut butter all day. She just sits there and stares at the container. She hasn't even opened it yet.

"Is something wrong?"

Buffy turns her head and glares at me. "Yes, something's _wrong_. You got the wrong kind!"

This also confuses me, because I'm almost positive that she likes Jif. "I thought you liked this brand."

"I didn't say you got the wrong _brand_. I said you got the wrong _kind. _I wanted crunchy peanut butter! _This is_ _creamy__!" _Buffy thrusts the container back into my hand. She doesn't want it and is obviously having no part in it.

"Buffy, I'm sorry. I guess I was in such a hurry…obviously I grabbed the wrong one." I give her a weak smile. "I got the brand right at least."

She shoots daggers in my eyes. She is not amused.

"Okay, don't worry. I'll fix it. I'll go to the store first thing in the morning and pick up the right kind."

From the look on her face, I can tell that this is not the right answer.

"On second thought," I say, as if it just occurred to me, "why don't I just return it now while I still have my shoes on? It'll only take a ten minutes to run to the grocery store anyway."

Her expression lights up again, and this is how I know that I have said the right thing.

"Really? You don't mind?"

I smile. "No, not at all." But truthfully, it's driving me a little crazy.

At the grocery store, the cashier recognizes me. I explain to him my pregnant wife is very particular about her peanut butter. He chuckles, then tells me his wife has been pregnant three times so he understands completely.


	8. Month Seven

A/N: This is like, my favorite month, LOL!

* * *

><p><strong><em>Month Seven<em>**

It's Friday afternoon, and I'm at the mall browsing through the infant clothing section in one of the department stores. Just about every store is having some kind of summer clearance sale. Cordelia offered to take me when I told her I wanted to go, and I happily accepted her offer. Cordelia is the only other person I know that loves shopping at the mall as much as I do. If she hadn't been so bitchy to me back in high school, we probably would have bonded over it.

Cordelia has changed a lot in the last two years or so. I suppose we all have really. I remember the days when Cordelia was "Queen C" of Sunnydale High. I myself was a lot like her before I came to Sunnydale. Then I became the Slayer and being popular just wasn't important anymore. I don't know what prompted the change for Cordelia, but I would guess it'd have something to do with those visions she stills gets from time to time. We may have averted the apocalypse last summer, but the next one is always just around the corner.

I walk around the racks of clothes, and I'm amazed at how tiny everything is. I think of a doll I once had when I was a child, and how these clothes could have easily fit her. Then on one particular rack, I happen to spot a beautiful little dress. It's pink with flowers and a darling little bow, and I want it for my little girl.

"What do you think of this?" I ask Cordelia and hold up the dress for her to see.

"It's cute. But I think if you get that, you should get this too." Cordelia holds up a onesie, and it's blue.

"That's for a boy," I say, and prepare myself for what I know Cordelia is going to say next. What everyone other than Angel has been saying to me…

"Yes, exactly! Don't you think you should at least buy a few blue clothes? Just in case? I mean, what's going to happen if this baby you're so sure is a girl turns out to be a boy? That poor child is going to have some serious complex when he finds out his mother dressed him all in pink."

I ignore her question and hand the dress to Cordelia to hold on to. I'm buying it.

"Okay, fine," Cordelia says, putting back the blue onesie. "Buy the dress, but don't expect me to help you return any of these clothes if I'm right."

"It's a girl, Cordelia," I say as I leave the infant clothes and began to wander around the nightgown and lingerie section.

Cordelia follows me and continues to press the issue. "How can you be so sure? I think you should have an ultrasound."

My eye catches something appealing, and I make my way through the racks. "We already did. The baby wouldn't cooperate."

"Well can't you have another one?"

I turn to Cordelia and give her a pointed look. "Do you know how expensive those things are? Our insurance only pays for one."

"Oh. Well, I still think you should buy a few blue things, or at least some more gender-neutral clothes."

"Don't need to. I know it's a girl."

Cordelia rolls her eyes. "But _how_ can you possibly know?"

I give her a smile. "I just do. Now, what do you think of this?" I take the silky black negligee that I'd been eyeing off the rack and hold it up for Cordelia's inspection.

"Looks kind of slutty if you ask me."

I look at the negligee again and frown. "Does not. If I was wearing this for a boyfriend, maybe. But not if I'm wearing it for my husband. Then it's sexy." I hand it over to Cordelia to hold. I'm buying this too. I have plans tonight for Angel, and a sexy negligee is part of it.

Later that night when Angel gets home, I surprise him with candles in our bedroom, soft music playing, and me in the middle of the bed wearing nothing but the negligee and a smile.

Cordelia had been shocked when I bought it, and then actually asked me how in the world could I possibly still be having sex in my condition. Well, it's not easy. We've had to be creative in our lovemaking efforts, considering my ginormous belly. But where there's a will…there's a way. And from the look on Angel's face, I don't think he has any complaints.

* * *

><p>Buffy's insatiable appetite for peanut butter has been replaced by something even better: sex.<p>

At first, I hadn't realized there was anything different about Buffy.

Then I come home from work one day. I find Buffy waiting for me in our bedroom with a scene set for seduction: candles, music, and Buffy in a sexy black negligee. I half expect to find a can of whip cream tucked under her pillow. When I mention it, she smiles and promises to have some next time.

_Next time?_

It's at this point that it occurs to me…Buffy and I have been making love a lot lately. I don't think we've had this much sex since we started trying for the baby in the first place. And Buffy is the one initiating it every time.

I'm not sure what brought about this change in her behavior, not that I'm complaining. I read in some book that hormones could cause pregnant women to act in all sorts of strange ways, but I never imagined _this_ would be one of them.

Even when I'm gone, she still wants me. She calls me when I'm at work all the time now, telling me she's at home in our bed, naked, and wants to know if I will be coming home soon. I want to go home, god I want to, but sitting across from me is a potential client who thinks her new house is haunted by some demonic force. I need to take this case, because we really need the money.

"Sorry about that," I apologize to the lady, and I put my cell phone back into my pocket. "My wife is seven months pregnant and she calls me every time she needs something."

"That's okay." The woman smiles, finding my situation endearing, although I doubt she knows exactly what my wife is needing at the moment.

"So, tell me about this ghost of yours…" And I hope her story is a fast one, because I've got this image of Buffy in my mind, and it's making it very difficult to concentrate on anything else at the moment.

Sometimes I go home on my lunch break to see her if I have the time. I'm sure everyone is well aware of what's going on, of what Buffy and I are doing and why I'm always late coming back with a grin on my face. Wesley keeps his mouth shut about it, but usually Cordelia will make some kind of remark, or roll her eyes at least. Well, it's not like they can do anything about it. I'm their boss, after all.

She gets mad if I don't come home right away, or if I say I'm too tired to do anything else but sleep. If I make the mistake of refusing her, she kicks me out of the bed and makes me sleep in the guest bedroom, claiming I must not think she's attractive anymore if I don't want to have sex. Of course that's not the truth. But I'm only a man, and as much as I love sex, I can only take so much of it. Meanwhile, Buffy is always raring to go. Where is she getting all of this energy from anyway?

It's another one of those nights when she's kicked me out of the bedroom. I was too exhausted, and now I can't sleep at all. I hate sleeping in the guest bedroom. The bed is hard and it's too small. My feet hang over the edge. On nights like this, I miss when she was mad at me over peanut butter.

But of course, she never stays upset for too long. By morning, all is forgotten, and she invites me back into the bedroom with that come-hither look in her hazel-green eyes. She wants to have sex again.

If I know what's good for me, I'll do whatever she asks.


	9. Month Eight

**_Month Eight_**

I'm sitting behind the counter at the Magic Box in the middle of the day. Classes have started back for Willow and Tara, and Giles asked if I would mind helping out some in the store. I think he has ulterior motives though. Now that I'm in my eighth month and big as a whale, suddenly everyone seems to be keeping a close eye on me.

Anya is standing at the cash register counting the money, and she keeps throwing me sideway glances. She feels threatened by me, even though she has no reason to be.

"You're going to go back to slaying once the baby comes, right?" Anya asks me.

I look up from my book and turn to Anya. "Yes, Anya."

Anya smiles. "Okay, good. Because Giles already pays Willow and Tara to work a few hours during the week. If he starts paying you too, there won't be enough money for me to have a raise, and I'm the only full-time employee here, so naturally I deserve one the most."

"Don't worry, Anya. I'm not going to be here that long."

Although truthfully, I kind of like it, mostly because I've been bored out of my mind without slaying or classes to keep me occupied. And also, it's been nice to see Angel so much during the day. _Angel Investigations_ is in the office next door. I can pop in and see him anytime I want. Actually, Angel is doing most of the popping in. I'm so big I can hardly walk. I waddle instead. I've never been this big before and it's been an adjustment. I've already broken two crystal balls and a porcelain figurine with my enormous girth.

Fortunately Giles was forgiving. Anya not so much. "_You break it, you buy it!"_

I was already clumsy before this. Being pregnant takes clumsiness to a whole new level now.

* * *

><p>"Just tell me," Cordelia begs, standing over my desk.<p>

I smile at her. "No."

"Oh come on!"

"No."

Cordelia wants to know what name Buffy and I have decided on. We've already got one picked out, and we're not telling.

Somewhere around Buffy's fifth month, Willow bought us a book full of baby names. Ever since then, the one question we've gotten more than whether Buffy's giving birth to a boy or a girl or when she's due is, "Any names picked out yet?"

The problem with that is that everyone has an opinion, and the names that Buffy and I loved, everyone else seemed to hate. With every name suggestion comes three reasons why it's a bad choice: It's either too hard to spell, it's too outdated, or the kid's going to get teased relentlessly for it.

So now, we're keeping the name to ourselves. It's our child. We should get to name her whatever we choose, and we don't want everyone else's opinions anymore.

Cordelia is still standing over my desk, determined to get something out of me. "Well did you by any chance decide to name her after someone you know? Say…Cordelia? I think Cordelia is a very lovely name. It's very elegant and…classy. It could be a great middle name too. And you know, you kind of owe it to me, really. It was my vision that brought you back to Sunnydale in the first place. Who knows, without me, you and Buffy may have never got back together. You'd never even be having this kid. The least you could do is name her after me."

"Cordy, I'm grateful for everything you've done for Buffy and me, but I'm still not telling you."

"Well fine then!" she pouts, defeated, and walks back over to her desk.

I laugh to myself and go back to my research.

"I hope you have a boy and have to think of a whole new name!" she says. "Would serve you right for being so tight-lipped about it. I could keep a secret, you know!"

Cordelia doesn't give up easily. Buffy and I are still convinced it's a girl, although just in case, we've got a boy name ready too. But I'm not telling her that either.


	10. Month Nine

**_Month Nine_**

It's two minutes after midnight, and I'm suddenly awake. I thought I felt something, but now I'm not sure. Maybe I was dreaming it.

Angel must have sensed I was awake because he suddenly rolls over. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just thought I felt something."

Angel sits up quickly, his eyes wide. "Is it time? I'll call Sallie…" He starts to get out of bed.

I smile and grab hold of his arm. "No. Please don't. It's not time yet. Besides, I don't want to drag her out of bed again for nothing."

I have already thought I was in labor twice this week. Once at ten-thirty at night. Another time at four in the morning. Both were false alarms. Fake contractions, Sallie had said. I wasn't even fully dilated yet. I wasn't going to bother Sallie again until I was sure, even if she said she didn't mind, and that she was used to delivering babies at all hours of the day.

Angel still looks worried, so I smile and try to calm him down. It's so sweet how nervous he is. "I'm fine. It was another fake contraction. I'm going to use the bathroom."

I carefully sit up and put my legs on the floor. I'm wishing I would go into labor soon because the simple act of standing has become an ordeal.

"Do you need help?" Angel asks.

But I'm already on my feet and heading to the bathroom. My bladder is about to explode. "That's okay. I think I can manage."

A few minutes later when I'm washing my hands, it happens. I feel something warm gushing out of my body and trickling down my leg. It takes me by surprise and I immediately look down on the floor. It's quite obvious what just happened. My water broke.

I open the door, and Angel is sitting up in bed, waiting for me to come out with that worried look still on his face.

"Angel?"

"Yeah?"

I look down to the floor again and carefully step over the puddle so I won't slip and fall. "I guess it wasn't a fake contraction after all."

* * *

><p>I'm immediately on my feet and rushing to Buffy's side to help her. "Are you sure?"<p>

Buffy nods. "Pretty sure. My water just broke all over the floor."

I look down at the floor in front of the sink, and sure enough, there's a big puddle of clear liquid.

And suddenly, I have no clue what to do. I can't believe it. I've been preparing for this moment for nine months and have rehearsed it several times. I should know what to do. But all I can think about is that Buffy is in labor and the moment is finally here. It's the moment that I've been anxiously awaiting for and fearing at the same time. I just want everything to go okay.

Buffy must have sensed my panic, because she is the one that suddenly takes charge. "Help me sit down?" she asks.

"Sure," I say, and take hold of her hand. I walk her back into the bathroom and she lowers herself on the toilet seat.

Buffy keeps holding my hand, and she looks up at me and smiles. I have no idea how she can be so calm at this moment. "Okay, first things first. We should probably clean this mess up before one of us gets hurt."

"Shouldn't we call Sallie first?"

"Relax. There's no need to rush. I'll be in labor for probably what, ten, twelve hours? I think we have time. But first we need to clean this up."

I nod. "Right."

Buffy points to the linen closet. "Towels."

"Right." Thank god Buffy is telling me what to do. I'm still recovering from the shock that Buffy is actually in labor. No false alarms this time. I grab a towel out of the closet to clean up the mess on the floor.

"I'm sorry you have to clean it up. I would but…" Buffy places a hand on her stomach.

I look up at Buffy and place a hand over hers. "Don't be sorry, okay?"

She smiles. "At least it wasn't on the bed."

I give her a smile back. She has a good point there.

When the floor is dry again, I toss the towel in the hamper, then look to Buffy for instruction on what to do next. I don't think there's ever been a time when I've been completely panicked and out of control like this. It makes me nervous, because the hard part hasn't even come yet.

"Now, can you get me a change of clothes?"

"Sure. I can do that." I go to the bedroom and open Buffy's drawers, but I suddenly don't know what I'm looking for. "Buffy?"

"Top drawer on the right," she calls out. "Grab that long white nightshirt. Do you see it?"

The shirt is exactly where Buffy said it would be, and I grab it. "Got it." I bring the shirt to Buffy. She's already attempting to take off her clothes. I help her out of her shirt and underwear and toss the clothes in the hamper.

"Got it?" I ask her as she pulls the nightshirt over her head.

"Yes. I got it."

"Do you want me to help you back to bed?"

Buffy shakes her head. "No, not yet. Now you should call Sallie, alright? Tell her I'm having slight contractions and that my water just broke."

"You're feeling more contractions?"

"Yes, but just little ones. And after you call Sallie, call Willow. Tell her to come over as soon as she can. Get her to help you prepare the bed when she gets here. Or Sallie can help. Whoever gets here first."

"Prepare the bed?"

"With the sheets and shower curtain Sallie told us to get. Remember? Cause it's going to get kind of bloody you know…"

"Oh. Right."

"But first you should call Sallie. Call her now, okay?"

"Where's her number?" I can't believe I'm asking this. I've memorized this number, but for the life of me, I cannot remember it now.

Buffy smiles at me. "It's on the nightstand by the phone."

"Right. I forgot." I start to leave, but she calls me back.

"Angel?"

I stop at the door and turn towards Buffy, who remains just as calm as ever.

"Yeah?"

"Everything is going to be okay. Don't worry."

I take a deep breath and try to relax. I hope and pray Buffy is right. I've never been more excited and frightened at the same time in my whole life.


	11. The Birth

A/N: Last chapter everyone, which means yay! The baby finally arrives! :) Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong><em>The Birth<em>**

It's been fourteen hours since my water broke, and the baby has still not arrived. I'm getting really tired of everyone telling me to "push". What the hell do they think I'm doing here, holding it in?

"You're doing great, Buffy," Angel whispers to me as he rubs my back. He had been a nervous wreck for the first half of my labor. Now he's the calm one, and I'm the one panicking. I don't know how I could do this without him.

I smile, and immediately feel guilty for being so bitchy and short with him earlier. With everyone, really. I even snapped at the midwife's assistant, who's a sweet young girl probably not much older than me.

But I'm in labor, and everyone seems to be ignoring my bitchiness, which is a very good thing.

I had no idea labor would be this difficult. It's not the pain so much. I can handle the pain. I imagine most women can't, but I'm dealing. But what I can't handle is this baby's refusal to come out. I've been pushing for God only knows how long and she still hasn't made an appearance! I'm getting tired, I'm beyond cranky, and if I have to be in labor for one more minute, I'm going to beg for an emergency c-section. Just slice me open and get the thing out of me! I can handle it.

I feel another contraction coming on, and it's a big one. I brace myself for it and push again. They make this birthing business look so easy on TV.

"Here, squeeze my hand," Angel says.

"I'll break your hand," I squeak out, but I take his hand anyway.

Angel laughs. "You won't break my hand. You might break Willow's though."

I look over to my right and see the pained expression on her face. I hadn't realized I was holding Willow's hand, and I immediately let go of it. "Sorry, Will!"

"That's okay," she says with a strained smile. Boy is she a trooper. She's acting like I didn't hurt her at all but I can see her hand looks pretty cramped right about now.

"You're doing great, Buffy. Push on this next contraction," Sallie says.

As if on cue, I feel another contraction roll over me, and I push, again. You'd think as hard as I'm pushing, the baby would be out by now.

"Remember your breathing," Angel reminds me as he rubs my back again.

I close my eyes and concentrate on breathing, and pushing. And more breathing. More pushing. And another contraction.

"Oh wow, Buffy, how in the world are you doing this without pain killers?" Willow asks.

"High…tolerance…for pain…" I manage to say, pushing all the while.

"Almost, Buffy," Angel whispers.

And suddenly, it's all over. It takes me a moment to realize that I don't need to push anymore. Sallie is holding up a wiggly little baby for everyone to see. A few moments later, the baby's cries fill the room.

"Oh my god…" is all I can say as the reality hits me. I just became a mother.

"You have a beautiful baby girl," Sallie says and places the baby on my chest.

I can't take my eyes off her. Yes, she's slimy and slippery and extremely pink at the moment, but she's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

"Buffy, you were right!" Willow says excitedly. "It's a girl!"

"She's beautiful," Angel whispers, and he gives my forehead a kiss.

"Hi, baby girl," I say to her. "So you're the one who's been kicking me all this time, huh?" It surprises me how alert she is. Her crying has subsided now, and she looks right at me as I'm talking to her.

I'm vaguely aware of Sallie placing a blanket over the baby and drying her off. All I can do is lay there and stare at her. She's so beautiful. Her eyes are blue for now, but I'm almost positive they'll turn brown. I can already see her hair is going to be dark, just like her father's.

She instinctively nuzzles close to my breast, and it seems like the most natural thing in the world to bring her closer and see if she'll suckle.

I feel like I'm living some dream. This is so surreal. I can't believe I'm actually a mother.

* * *

><p>It's been several hours since our daughter was born. Our <em>daughter<em>. Never in my lifetime did I think I would have children. I never thought I'd have love in my life either. I'm glad I was wrong about both of them, because now I don't think I'd could live without either.

I'm sitting up in bed holding the baby. I'm amazed at how small she is, but already she has a grip like you wouldn't believe. I look at her face and I can't help but smile. I see Buffy reflected back at me. Buffy seems to think she'll have dark hair and eyes like me, but I can see already that the face is all her. She has Buffy's chin. She has her mouth. Her cheeks. Even her little button nose. It's all Buffy.

Beside me, Buffy is sleeping, getting some much needed rest after all of the activity from today. But she doesn't sleep for too long. After a forty-five minute nap, Buffy starts to stir awake. When I look down at her, her eyes are open and she's smiling at the both of us.

"Hi," she says sleepily.

"Hey."

Buffy moves to sit up. "How is she?"

"Still sleeping."

"Wow. When Sallie said she'd conk out after feeding, she wasn't kidding. Do you think it's time for me to feed her again? Should we wake her?"

"Maybe in a little while. I think she's fine for now." I look down at the baby, and even though I know it's too early for her to smile, I swear I see a grin on her face. She's content. Perfectly happy.

Buffy moves closer so that she can see the baby better. "Can't stop looking at her, huh?"

I laugh. "No."

"Me neither. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not dreaming. She's real."

"Here, why don't you take her? As much as I love holding her, my arms are falling asleep." They actually are a little numb. I think I've been holding her the whole time while Buffy slept.

Buffy smiles and takes the baby into her arms. "Oh, Angel. Isn't it just so amazing? We _made _her. We actually created _life_. That's just huge. Who knew something this beautiful could come from our love?"

I smile. "Yeah, it's pretty amazing."

"I think I'm going to like this mother business." Buffy looks up at me as if she just realized something. "Hey, where is everyone? Have they gone home?"

"Sallie left a little while ago, but she'll be back later to check on us. Willow and Tara are downstairs. They said if we need anything, just let them know. Do you want me to have them bring you something to eat?"

Buffy shakes her head and looks down at the baby. "No. I've got everything I need right here." She smiles at our daughter and kisses her tiny forehead.

I watch Buffy for a while, holding our daughter, and I think to myself that I've never seen anything more beautiful. I knew someday she'd want children, even if she didn't always think so. Even if she said she killed her goldfish. I know she is going to be an amazing mother.

It's about this point that I notice a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask, wiping the tear away from her cheek with my finger.

Buffy blinks away the tears and puts on a brave face. "I was just thinking that I wish my mom were here. I always thought if I'd ever had children someday, she'd be around to see it."

I wrap my arm around her, and Buffy looks over at me. "She is here, Buffy. I'm sure wherever she is, she's looking down at you, and she's proud."

Buffy smiles. "Do you really think so?"

I nod, then kiss her forehead. "I know so," I whisper.

She smiles again, and I know what I've said has made her feel better.

A few minutes later, we hear a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," I say, but not too loudly as I don't want to wake up the baby.

Willow pokes her head into the room and smiles. "Hey. I don't mean to interrupt baby-bonding time, but everyone is downstairs and pretty anxious to come see her. Do you want me to tell them to give you some more time?"

I look at Buffy, letting her decide, and she shakes her head. "No. Tell them to come on up. It's about time we introduce her."

A few minutes later, the room is filled with all our friends. Giles is first to come in, followed by Xander and Anya. Cordelia and Wesley walk around to my side of the bed. Willow and Tara are last to come in, but they have both already seen the baby. This is everyone else's first time.

"So, what do you think?" Buffy asks, and she looks up at Giles.

"She's beautiful. Looks just like you, Buffy," he says.

"A little like Angel too though," Buffy says, looking down at the baby again.

"She'll definitely have the dark hair," Wesley says, smiling.

"But she's obviously inherited Buffy's temperament," Cordelia adds. "Doesn't look broody to me at all."

I give Cordelia a look.

Cordelia smiles. "Okay. You don't brood…as much as you used to anyway."

"So this is the little Buffster, huh?" Xander says as he moves to get a closer look.

Buffy looks at Xander and smiles. "Yep, it's mini-me."

"You two made a very pretty baby," Anya says, then turns to Xander. "Let's make one, Xander."

I see Xander turn pale, and it makes me laugh inwardly.

"So, are you going to finally tell us her name?" Cordelia asks. "Because the suspense is killing us all."

I look at Buffy. "You tell them."

Buffy looks down at the baby and smiles. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Zoey Alannah Summers-Angel."

Everyone seems to approve of the name choice. I dare anyone to make an objection.

"That's beautiful," Tara says. "How did you come up with that name?"

"Well, we liked Zoey because it means 'life', which seemed really nice and fitting considering everything we've been through. And Alannah means 'beautiful, darling child', which she is. Oh, and it's Irish," Buffy adds, tossing a glance in my direction.

I smile at Buffy, then sit back as I watch everyone continue to admire our little miracle. I can't blame them for wanting to stay and adore her.

Later that evening after everyone has left, Buffy and I lay on the bed with Zoey in the middle, swaddled in her blanket as she sleeps.

"She's so perfect," Buffy whispers, still in awe over her. "How is it possible to feel so much love for someone you just met?"

"I loved you the moment I first saw you."

Buffy looks at me and smiles, then reaches over the baby for my hand. "You annoyed me the first time I saw you."

I laugh. "I annoyed you?"

"Yeah. You were 'cryptic wise guy', always popping in to give me some vague details about the latest doom and gloom in Sunnydale. It got really annoying."

"Cryptic wise guy, huh?"

Buffy laughs. "But I thought you were dark and gorgeous."

"And now?"

"Not so dark. Still gorgeous. And the love of my life."

"How did I get to be so lucky?"

Buffy smiles. "You must have done something right." Then she leans over the baby and presses her lips to mine.

I don't know what I did to deserve her, or this amazing life we created, but I'm forever grateful.

Buffy soon yawns, and I'm rather exhausted myself. We both place a hand over Zoey, close our eyes, and together, we sleep.

**THE END**

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><p>AN: Thanks so much for reading everyone! I hope you enjoyed this little story. :)

I just wanted to add….you know the scene from AtS where Angel and Cordelia are laying on the bed with baby Connor in the middle? I really loved that scene, except I would have liked it much better if Cordelia had been Buffy, and also, if Connor's mother had been Buffy instead of Darla. That's sort of the image I hope to leave you with. I don't think happy endings are boring at all. They leave me with a warm, fuzzy feeling. :)


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